News for 08 May 2020
All the news for Friday 8 May 2020
COVID-19: FIH issues guidance to ensure playing fields are ready when restrictions end
With the majority of countries around the world continuing to use social distancing or lockdown measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, there are some countries where restrictions are beginning to ease.
Hockey fields across the globe have seen little to no activity for several months, meaning that certain steps may need to be taken in order to ensure they will be fit for use when restrictions are eventually lifted, and the possibility of training and matches becomes a reality.
With the assistance of the European Synthetic Turf Council (ESTC) and the FIH Medical Committee, the International Hockey Federation’s Quality Programme for Hockey Turf has created a guidance document designed to enable facility operators to develop a re-commissioning plan for their playing fields. These guidelines will help to ensure that the playing surface will be ready for action when the restrictions finally come to an end.
Whilst stressing the importance of checking national regulations before undertaking any maintenance work to avoid any unnecessary risk to individuals, the document offers guidance on the importance of clearing surface debris, such as leaf litter or bird and animal droppings, whilst also giving solutions on the removal of weeds, moss and algae that may have become established in the turf during this time of inactivity.
The document also offers crucial advice regarding the safe elimination of potentially harmful bacteria from watering systems, as well as guidance given by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to sports event organisers planning mass gatherings, in the context of the COVID-19 global health pandemic.
To download the document, please click here.
Like all of you, the FIH hopes that everyone will be playing hockey again soon, but only when it is safe to do so, in accordance with national health regulations and guidance. With a little forward planning, you can ensure that your hockey field will be ready for action when the time comes.
#StayHomeStayStrong
FIH site
Field Hockey Canada – Return to play concept (COVID-19)
Field Hockey Canada is committed to the safety and well-being of everyone in the Field Hockey Community. Return to play will be allowed once it is safe for all participants. Municipal, provincial and national authorities will be providing guidance for safe return to play. Field Hockey Canada is also relying on Sport Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee for guidance. Below is a graphic for consideration of return to play. Field Hockey Canada advocates following these three steps before any return to play is contemplated. We continue to work with our national and provincial partners on how the return to play will be shaped in each province. We thank you for your continued support as one community. Apart Today – Together Tomorrow.
GENERAL INFORMATION
COVID-19 is a virus in the coronavirus family. Coronaviruses in this family are responsible for illnesses that range from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) and Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV). COVID-19 is a new virus and so health officials are still learning about its impact and severity. At this time, it appears to cause an illness similar to the flu with the most common signs of infection being fever, cough and shortness of breath. In severe cases patients can develop pneumonia, severe respiratory distress, kidney failure and death.
Prevention
Recommendations for protecting yourself and preventing spread of this illness include frequent hand washing and covering both your nose and mouth when coughing. Try to cough or sneeze into your arm, away from others, or into tissue paper (to be disposed in toilet). Wash your hands immediately afterwards. You should avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness.
What to do if you think you have COVID-19
Because the early symptoms of COVID-19 are similar to other respiratory illnesses, if you have any of the common symptoms (fever, cough and shortness of breath) you should contact your doctor’s office and arrange to have a consultation.
For more information please visit the Government of Canada’s website covering COVID-19 and other diseases and conditions.
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to us via our Staff & Contact page.
RESOURCES
Please consult the following link from the Public Health Agency of Canada, which provides the current situation for the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak including risk to Canadians. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html
Should you wish to seek further advice specific to hosting an international sport event where international teams are coming to Canada, or for Canadian teams travelling to compete internationally you may contact:
COVID-19 Information, PHAC
Tel: 1-833-784-4397
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Field Hockey Canada media release
MHC have to play waiting game
By Jugjet Singh
File Photo: After the postponements of all their tournaments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) are now waiting for approvals from the different bodies on the new dates. - NSTP/FATHIL ASRI
AFTER the postponements of all their tournaments due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) are now waiting for approvals from the different bodies on the new dates.
It is now up to the Sports Ministry, the Education Ministry and the National Sports Council to endorse the proposed dates for the Razak Cup, national Junior Hockey League (JHL), the National Under-16 and Under-14 tournaments.
Under the revised fixtures, the Razak Cup will be held on Aug 21-29, the month-long JHL (boys) to start on Sept 30, JHL (girls) a week later, national Under-16 in November and Under-14 in December.
"By the look of things, by August it would be safe to hold the Razak Cup. The Razak Cup could be the first local tournament to kick-start hockey after Covid-19 stopped everything in its tracks," said MHC competitions committee chairman Datuk Seri Anil Jeet Singh.
But it is still yet to be decided whether the tournament will be a closed-doors event or fans will be allowed to watch the men's and women's events.
There could be social distancing conditions at the stands, depending on the Health Ministry's recommendations on sports by August.
"It was also decided that the JHL will be held at the end of September and since SPM has been moved to next year, I believe it will be well represented. A total of 22 teams have registered to play in the boys' JHL with 10 in Division One and 12 in Division Two," said Anil.
New Straits Times
Belgium, Netherlands resume hockey training after six weeks
World number one Belgium men’s national team trained at the Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp while following stringent social distancing norms.
Samarnath Soory
Jeroen Hertzberger of Netherlands trains on Wednesday at the Wegener Stadium in Amsterdam. - Jeroen Hertzberger/ Instagram
Netherlands and Belgium were among the first national hockey teams to resume training on Wednesday after the governments in both the countries began a phased relaxation of coronavirus-forced lockdown restrictions.
World number one Belgium men’s national team trained at the Sportcentrum Wilrijkse Plein in Antwerp while following stringent social distancing norms.
Members of the team, who arrived and left the stadium separately, were asked to maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 metres during their 90-minute training session.
“It is very strict. Three players can train at a time and they shall continue for the next session. It was only possible to do passing drills while maintaining as much distance as we could,” Belgium captain Thomas Briels told Sportstar.
“It feels good to be back after six weeks. It’s the longest gap I went without playing hockey since I was five years old. It’s the longest time for us as a team without seeing each other,” Briels added.
The World and European champion’s last competitive match was a 3-2 win against India in the FIH Pro League held at Bhubaneswar on February 8. On Monday, the Royal Belgian Hockey Association ended the domestic leagues with no promotion, relegation or winners for the 2019-20 season.
In Amsterdam, Dutch men’s and women’s teams returned to the turf at the Wegener Stadium, following temperature checks, while being instructed to wash hands before and after the practice. Players were divided into groups of six on each half while maintaining a distance of three metres between them.
Netherlands women’s team captain Eva da Goede said she was happy to see her team, which last played in the FIH Pro League against Argentina in February.
“It felt great to be back on the training pitch today. It felt really amazing to be back with the girls and able to train. It was really exciting and everyone was super happy to be back training and we loved it. Small steps, baby steps but these steps were definitely in a good direction, so we were very happy about that,” she told fih.ch .
The pandemic had forced the Royal Dutch Hockey Federation (KNHB) to postpone the home FIH Pro League matches against New Zealand, Australia and Great Britian. Premier club competitions such as the Hoofdklasse (Dutch Hockey League) alongside other domestic leagues for the 2019-20 season ended in April.
Sportstar
Spain and Ireland confirm their European representatives for 2020/21 season
Spain and Ireland have confirmed their European entrants for the 2020/21 club competitions with both of their seasons not set to be completed.
In Spain, the men’s first seed has been awarded to Atlètic Terrassa who were first place in the Honor Division at the time of the suspension. Real Club de Polo were given the second seeding as the reigning Copa del Rey champions.
On the women’s side, Club de Campo took the first seed as their league leaders at the time of the shutdown. As Campo were also the winner of the Copa de la Reina, the second seed for Spain was given to SPV Complutense who were in second place in the league.
In Ireland, their national EY leagues were declared “void” a couple of weeks ago. As such, Hockey Ireland confirmed this week that their European places will be allocated in the same order as would have taken part this year.
It means Pegasus – national champions in 2018/19 – will be Ireland’s number one seed for the 2020/21 competitions with Loreto taking the second seed. At the time of lockdown, Loreto were leading the women’s EYHL by three points from Pegasus and Old Alex but had played an extra game.
On the men’s side, Three Rock Rovers will be the Irish top seed for a fourth successive season with Lisnagarvey taking the second seeding.
Rovers beat Scotland’s Grange 5-0 in the KO16 last October to record a first Irish win in an EHL knock-out game before pushing Rot-Weiss Köln all the way in the KO8.
They sat in fourth place in the EYHL at the time of the break. Garvey, meanwhile, were runaway leaders in their competition with a five-point lead and two games extra remaining to play.
Euro Hockey League media release
Euro representatives announced as Leinster league winners and EYHL2 invitations come into view
Pegasus and Loreto will remain as Ireland’s Euro representatives for the 2020/21 season. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Hockey Ireland have announced the club representatives for European competition shall remain the same for next season and in the same order.
It means Pegasus will take Ireland’s number one women’s spot with Loreto in the second seeded position.
On the men’s side, Three Rock Rovers will be the number one seed with Lisnagarvey taking the second slot for the 2020/21 competitions.
Announcing the decision, Hockey Ireland stated: “The Board considered the situation in detail and received recommendations from the EYHL Competitions Committee.
“With the 2019/2020 EYHL season declared null and void due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the Hockey Ireland Board has made the following decision regarding the representatives for next season’s EuroHockey Club competitions
“The European representatives for the EuroHockey Club competitions shall remain the same for next season, and in the same order.”
For Pegasus, it could mean two European competitions within the season. Currently, the Euro Hockey League FINAL8 is “on hold” with possibilities being researched for the competition to be played later in 2020.
The Ulster side qualified for that event as the 2018/19 EY Champions Trophy winners. With this announcement, it would see Pegs line also be in line for a place in European competition in the new year – the level will be determined by European ranking which could be effected by their performance at a refixed FINAL8.
Loreto were due to play in the EuroHockey Trophy this year which should remain the case for 2021.
On the men’s side, Three Rock Rovers retain their place as Irish number one seed but EHL Men could be modified for the 2020/21 season due to the current circumstances.
With a usual pre-Christmas slot potentially either given to the 2019/20 season’s FINAL8 or else cancelled, next Easter’s format will likely have to accommodate some changes.
How this is organised will possibly have a knock-on effect on what competition Lisnagarvey play in. They were down to host in EuroHockey Club Trophy II, effectively a third tier competition this year.
But Ireland’s ranking on the EHL nations list was likely to get a boost by virtue of Rovers’ performance in Barcelona last October, attaining a ranking of ninth in Europe with a 5-0 win over Scotland’s Grange before running Rot-Weiss Köln close in the KO8.
If the FINAL8 can be completed, this could boost chances of moving into a stronger competition but should the 2019/20 season not be completed, those extra points may be voided.
As with everything in the current environment, all of this remains dependent on government advice on when play can return.
Closer to home, Leinster Hockey is currently finalising league placings for the 2019/20 season with a percentage basis set to be employed to determine the outcome. Such positions will be ratified and sent to clubs in the next day or two.
In an email to club secretaries, Leinster added: “Please note that no planning for next season will be undertaken until we have greater certainty from Hockey Ireland and the statutory bodies. This will probably be July at the earliest.”
EYHL Division 2 looks set for an expansion. In a letter to regional branches, Hockey Ireland have said any team who competed in the 2019/20 season’s EYHL2 but did not qualify through their provincial leagues will be invited to compete in a slightly extended version. This will be for the 2020/21 season only.
For the men’s EYHL2, should all leagues be decided on a percentage basis, this would mean 10 invitations available. The contentious one will be in Leinster – at the time of the lockdown, Portrane and Rathgar were level in third place on 31 points with the latter slightly ahead on goal difference.
However, that method of tiebreaker was done away with last summer with the result between the two teams the decisive one – Portrane beat Gar 4-3 in their one meeting this term.
In Munster, Cork C of I and Bandon are eligible for the two tickets with Harlequins set for an invite based on last year’s entry. Ulster’s entry list would remain the same.
Leinster: Clontarf, Railway Union, Avoca, Portrane.
Munster: Cork C of I, Bandon, Cork Harlequins
Ulster: Cookstown, Kilkeel, Instonians
Like the application from a group of women’s clubs, a submission has been made by a number of men’s clubs to run a “full-season” EYHL2. This proposal is currently under review by Hockey Ireland.
On the women’s side, the one additional team eligible for inclusion is Galway. They were tied at the top of Connacht’s Division One with NUIG at the close of play in March.
It brings the tally to 11 teams invited for the competition.
Leinster: Corinthian, Trinity, Monkstown
Munster: UCC, Cork C of I
Ulster: Lurgan, Ards, Queen’s
Connacht: NUIG, Greenfields, Galway
The Hook
Seeing a different side of the game
How can a world class international player become an incredible coach?
That is the question that FIH Coach Educator Darren Cheesman posed at the beginning of the inaugural online FIH Academy Athlete2Coach session.
Along with fellow Coach Educator Tsoanelo Pholo of South Africa, Cheesman was working with 10 top level players or former players on a programme designed to support their transition from athlete to coach. The course is part of the FIH Academy’s raft of coaching qualifications and is focused very much upon meeting the learning needs of international athletes and keeping their skills and experience within hockey long after they retire as players.
Where most coaching courses focus on teaching high level technical and tactical skills, these are areas in which international athletes are well-honed. For these would be coaches, the most fundamental quality they need to master is how to coach a skill or explain a tactic to someone who does not yet have their level of ability and experience.
At the same time, for athletes who have experienced playing and being coached at the highest level of the game, starting as a beginner coach would not make sense. The Athlete2Coach programme enables the fast-tracking of athletes who show the necessary aptitude to become a good coach.
As Cheesman, who is a former Great Britain and England international, pointed out to the coach-athletes: “Being an international athlete, you have an incredible skill set. You are better able to do very complex technical skills on the hockey pitch than those who you are coaching. So often you may find it difficult to understand, for example, why someone cannot perform some skills the way you want them to. The question is whether you can take the complexity of the skill and break it down into steps they can understand, practice and then build back up to the level you are aiming for something simple.”
One of the attendees on the course is Argentina’s Lucas Rey. The midfield dynamo was part of the Argentina squad that won gold at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and he played a total of 225 games for Los Leones before retiring from international hockey in 2017.
“This kind of course is very important,” says Rey. “It will help us see and understand a different side of the game from that we experienced as a player. It will give us a lot of tools to improve our coaching.
“For us, as athletes, skills come easily so it is important that we realise that when we are explaining to a young player how to do a skill, we must teach them properly. To do that, we need to understand how coaching works. With the proper [coaching] tools we can share our knowledge and experience in the correct way.”
A feature of the Athlete2Coach course is the ability of the gathered coaches to share knowledge and experience. As this is an online course, it is easier for athletes from across the globe to come together in an online session. A question posed by the Coach Educators asked if there were cultural differences to how basic skills were performed and how they should be taught. The ensuing discussion saw the athlete-coaches grabbing their sticks to demonstrate a point and soon a lively debate was in full flow.
For Rey, a coaching career has probably always beckoned – he is already involved in physical education teaching in Argentina – but, he says, there was a moment when he was still playing when he started paying attention to the game in a different way. “You look at the skills, the tactics and the techniques in a different way – it is at that point that you know you are on a one-way road.”
The online Athlete2Coach course is just one example of the many courses offered by the FIH Academy. As an online course, Athlete2Coach takes away the necessity of extra travel to course venues and enables time-stretched athletes an improved opportunity to begin their transition from on-field to side-line.
Athlete2Coach Level 1 course candidates: Lucas Rey (ARG), Jonas Verest (SUI), Adriaan Kühn (GER), Eva de Goede (NED), Muhammad Waseem Aslam (PAK), Sebastian Valdas (CHI), Emma Buckley (IRL), Tengku Tajuddin (MAS)
Further Athlete2Coach courses will be announced soon, all information can be found at www.fih.academy
FIH site
‘Player safety needs to be tighter at hockey internationals’
By The Hockey Paper
Adrian Lock, Spain women’s coach, says more can be done to combat injuries at major tournaments.
Speaking on Hockeytoday.cc‘s regular Ask Me Anything coaches’ chat, along with GB coach Mark Hager, Lock said hockey should adopt a stricter policy at internationals.
“I still think we are a little bit behind in hockey and be more strict at tournaments in terms of the event doctors,” said Lock.
“Players just want to play and medical staff need to step in and have the sufficient knowledge and recognise situations.
“Hockey is inherently dangerous. It’s a hard ball going at high velocity around the pitch and sometimes I’m surprised there aren’t more injuries than there are.”
In the Spanish club scene, Lock admitted that knowledge was lacking when it came to hockey concussions and overall safety. But the Englishman said that is now being rectified with coaching seminars and understanding the correct protocols.
He added: “Players grow up to control what they are doing. It’s impossible to reduce danger to zero. It’s about creating a coaching environment which is safe and sensible.”
Lock said that to combat injury in training and PCD routines, the Spanish federation had purchased rugby style body/tackle suits. Tennis balls are also varied when it came to No 1 runners to limit the impact of being injured in practice.
Asked if hockey is doing enough to protect players, Hager said: “I think we are within the rules and we have the protective equipment we need.
“We have the awareness now and what concussion does to the brain. We’re never going to stop the physical clashes on the field. We will have collisions at some stage but we are in a better place on how to assist players on the road back to recovery.”
Go to hockeytoday.cc for details on the live coaching chat schedule
The Hockey Paper
Hockey coaching: Start body position at early age
By The Hockey Paper
England goal scorer Harry Martin in action against Australia during the Commonwealth Games Semi Final, 02 August 2014
In every print issue, we bring you tips from the stars and leading coaches. Here, GB’s Harry Martin stresses the importance of maintaining body position
Don’t fret with mistakes
When you are on the pitch, just try to improve with every session and push yourself that little bit extra when you go on. See mistakes as a mark of progress. Don’t shy away from anything if you make mistakes in practice at a young age. It’s something I am still learning in my career, that you can’t judge yourself entirely on mistakes, they are an important part of improving. Try new things and eventually it will pay off.
Head’s up
With moving to playing against zone, it’s about knowing where you are going with the ball when you receive it. I would encourage juniors, even if they are warming up with a team-mate, to look before the ball comes and look around you, with 360 vision. When you’re on the ball, again look around you and pick out things around the pitch so you get used to playing with your head up and you know what your next action will be. The game just opens up entirely once you are able to do this consistently and an opponent will find it much harder to defend against.
Get in best body position to attack
In the past, the England Hockey way of playing and against man-to-man has been seen you coming back to the ball. There is a time and a place for that when you are securing possession but in zonal play, you can get body-ready for the half-turn – where you are effectively facing forwards when you receive the ball – if the space is there.
Think about that body position. If you look at some of the best midfielders, they are always looking for those angles and they aren’t receiving the ball straight on from a player. We are working on this with GB and all international sides are. It’s one of the hardest parts of the game because you need that awareness, which in high pressure games isn’t always easy. My advice would be for juniors to start young and make it natural. It would put young players in great stead.
Harry Martin plays for Hampstead & Westminster and GB
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This originally featured in a previous Hockey Paper edition. Don’t miss out. Subscribe in print or in digital format.
The Hockey Paper
When one of the world's finest forgot his shirt ahead of a World Cup semi-final
Ashley Jackson
How many people reading this have forgotten something crucial before a match?
Judging by the responses to our Instagram story post earlier this week, quite a few of you, with items ranging from socks to gumshields, sticks and much more. One goalkeeper even once forgot their goalie kit!
Even the best players forget their kit though, as Dan Fox and George Pinner recount in the second part of the InsideTheCircle: The Podcast special looking back at World Cup stories.
They hilariously tell the story of how Ashley Jackson, one of the greatest players the game has seen, turned up in the wrong coloured playing shirt ahead of the 2014 World Cup semi-final.
“It was the semi-final game against The Netherlands, a massive game and there were a few pre-match nerves. For Ashley and Barry, having played so long in Holland, this was a huge thing for them, to play well and show what they could do in front of a Dutch crowd,” recalled Fox.
“We get to the ground, which is a good 20 minutes from the ground, and we don’t mess around at there so we arrive there probably only an hour before the start of play. Ashley then goes to our manager: ‘Andy, what would happen if somebody forgot their match shirt?’ Andy says it’s ok as you have two so it’s not a problem.
“Ashley then says: ‘What if they’ve forgot both match shirts? Would that be a problem?’ Andy’s face went completely white doing the maths. It was a huge, huge, huge panic.
“Ashley was asking if we could stitch the number on the back of another shirt but this wasn’t a South League game, he had to have his match shirt. But fortunately he got it, we played and it was all fine.”
While Pinner wasn’t aware of the issue at the time, it had come to the attention of one of Jackson’s team-mates.
“Ash always used to be one of the guys who wore his match shirt to the pitch, full warm-up and never changed his shirt,” the goalkeeper explained.
“He was in the changing room in the wrong coloured shirt for a period of time before and Dave Condon has picked up on in instantly but is thinking ‘Ashley, one of the best players, definitely got his house in order’.
“So he chooses not to actually say anything except to Foxy and as they’re walking out Dave says to him ‘Ash does know he’s got the wrong coloured shirt on doesn’t he?’ So we’ve also lost a huge period of time where it could have been resolved.
“Luckily the doctor we were assigned for this trip had a very decent convertible car so he was straight in it and drove it straight back to deliver the match shirt. Even the best players have kit issues. It’s not just at club level, it happens with internationals too.”
Hear more brilliant stories like this from the 2010 and 2014 World Cups by subscribing to Inside The Circle: The Podcast now.
Great Britain Hockey media release
Indian hockey midfielder Nilakanta Sharma says playing in big events helped him understand his role in team
Bengaluru: Indian hockey team midfielder Nilakanta Sharma says the experience of playing in big-ticket events such as the 2018 World Cup has helped him understand his role in the team, which will be handy at next year's Olympics.
"I have been in the international circuit for around three years and have been very fortunate to be a part of big competitions such as the hockey men's world cup 2018 and FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers 2019," said Nilakanta.
"It's great to have so much experience under my belt, which will be a big bonus for a tournament like the Olympics next year. I have learned to stay calm and composed in pressure situations and have a great understanding of my role in the side."
Nilakanta said he enjoys good communication with captain Manpreet Singh and Hardik Singh in the midfield region.
"The way Manpreet and I communicate on the field is terrific. Manpreet motivates all of us through the way he plays his game and ensures that every player is contributing to the team's cause in some way or the other. I share a great bond with Hardik as well," he said.
"We understand each other's games which makes it easy for us to support each other. We have been communicating well for quite some time now and hopefully, we will be able to hit the right note as soon as we get back to practice and eventually on the field."
The 25-year-old from Manipur said he is focused on maintaining his fitness during the nationwide lockdown which is in place currently to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.
"There's no doubt that it's been a difficult couple of months for all of us. We made it a point to keep training in whichever way we can once the lockdown began. With minimal equipment such as bands, we are doing several exercises in our rooms throughout the day," he said.
Nilakanta said the entire team is carrying out several exercises in their rooms at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) campus in Bengaluru, in order to stay focused during this period.
"Fitness will play a key role in how we react to certain situations once we are in the midst of a match in the future. We are carrying out push-ups, crunches, sit-ups and going for individual runs on a regular basis."
"Our Scientific Advisor Robin Arkell has devised some amazing fitness schedules which have helped us maintain our fitness standards," said the midfielder.
Firstpost
I am enjoying the role of a mentor, says Vandana Katariya
With training activities shut because of the COVID-19 lockdown, Vandana said currently the team's focus is on physical fitness and analysis of opponents.
Vandana Katariya receiving an award. (File Photo) - PTI
Indian women’s hockey team striker Vandana Katariya believes she has evolved as a player over the last 13 years and is currently enjoying the role of a mentor in a side that figures quite a lot of youngsters.
“When I had started off at the age of 15, I was always very fearless. I would try to use my skills, retain possession for as long as possible and then aim for goal. But with time, I realised that you can’t play like that, especially when the sport has evolved so much. I also had to evolve,” said Vandana, who made her senior debut in 2007.
“Now with experience, and with the influx of so many young players in the team, I really enjoy the mentoring bit. I know I have the experience which can be helpful to the younger players, and I keep talking to them about different situations that they will face on the field, and what all they can do.
“It is not as if I want them to follow exactly what I say, but I try to make them use their vision and think for themselves about what decisions they can make,” added the 28-year-old from Uttarakhand, who has over 240 international caps for India.
With training activities shut because of the coronavirus-forced national lockdown, Vandana said currently the team's focus is on physical fitness and analysis of opponents.
“Obviously the main thing for all of us is always to play hockey on the field, but this time has given us the chance to focus on other key factors which make a team so successful. We haven’t been able to be on the pitch, but our minds are always on the pitch,” she said.
“We are trying to maintain our fitness levels as best as we can, so that when we are back, we are sharper than our opponents. Another aspect which has been talked about is how we are able to analyse different teams.”
Both the men’s and women’s hockey teams are currently stuck at SAI centre in Bengaluru.
Vandana also emphasised on the need to remain positive in these difficult times.
“Our chief coach Sjoerd Marijne has been very vocal about having mindfulness, and that has also made us realise a lot of things. We feel we are at a stature where we can end up helping other people too which we did through our crowdfunding initiative,” she said.
“We are lucky to have such great facilities at our disposal. We understand that not many people are blessed with this, and therefore it is a chance for us to make full use of what we have.”
Sportstar
The photo capturing ‘the best of hockey’
By Rod Gilmour
Koen used a Cannon 1DX Mark 1. For more go to www.koensuyk.com
When Koen Suyk replaced one of his old cameras a few months ago, the photography shop asked the veteran Dutch photographer for his superb image of Alex Danson, below, to accompany the equipment.
He joked: “It’s an old camera and perhaps the camera is worse without Alex’s picture for it to be sold.”
That’s how well known this image is.
Suyk, who has worked at six summer Olympic Games, received plaudits for the picture which was taken during England’s 4-1 defeat of Germany at the 2015 EuroHockey Championships in London when the hosts beat the Dutch to gold.
It was handed best sports picture at the Dutch press awards and the evocative shot not only captures the excitement of the sport but also Danson’s unwavering determination.
“It was a very nice moment,” recalls Suyk. “It was an evening match and always difficult but it’s sharp and that what’s important. She hit the ball and tried to do it again. I had one moment to do it and this is the only picture.”
Five years on, Danson, who scored a hat-trick that night at Lee Valley as England topped the group, still vividly recalls the moment in the match.
She recalled: “The ball had come across and back off the keeper who was way off her line. It was so out of my reach that if I could connect I might be able to hit it over her.
“I think it captures the best of hockey: the athleticism, you can throw yourself about and it’s just a great picture.To capture it in that moment was unbelievable.”
Koen gave the image to her in a sports photography book following his accolades, while Danson was sent an almost life-size version of the image some time later.
“Living in a small flat in Marlow I had to turn it around as you couldn’t have a massive picture of me when people walked in,” laughed Danson.
Suyk says he was just in the right place at the right time, the image all the better with Danson as the centrepiece.
“She was everywhere on the pitch and a frenetic player. I liked to take pictures when she played.”
This originally featured in a previous Hockey Paper edition. Don’t miss out. Subscribe in print or in digital format.
The Hockey Paper
England Hockey offers apology to Suzy Petty over GB axing
By The Hockey Paper
England Hockey has apologised to Suzy Petty after admitting to “shortcomings” in the way it handled her axing from the GB women’s central programme.
Petty and Erica Sanders were both dropped from the women’s programme in November. Petty, who accrued over 50 international caps, spoke to legal representatives in the aftermath of the decision which, after a recent meeting with the player, led to England Hockey’s statement on Thursday.
“We openly recognise the shortcomings on our part and would like to apologise for the impact this had upon her,” it read.
England Hockey will now undertake a review in partnership with the British Athletes Commission which will focus on the deselection process and how the national governing body can best support athletes’ wellbeing after deselection.
“We would like to place on record our best wishes to Suzy for the future,” the statement added.
Last October, Petty, who was part of Wimbledon Ladies’ promotion season, admitted to trying to beat an eating disorder that she had “on and off” for the last decade as she bid to reach full fitness ahead of GB heat testing to combat the Tokyo weather.
She wrote on Instagram: “With it being less than a year to go until the Olympic Games, I finally want to beat this eating disorder that has ruled my life for so long, I want to put myself in the best possible state physically and mentally so that I can personally do all I can to get into the GB Olympic team, but also so that I can train day in and day out to push my team mates so that we will be the best team possible.”
Sanders, a 22-year-old talent, made her international debut in 2017. Uni of Birmingham coach Phil Gooderham told THP the same year that she had a “tremendous” future ahead of her.
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The Hockey Paper
Suzy Petty: Hockey player discusses life in lockdown with an eating disorder
By Katie Shanahan
While we wait for normality to return, lockdown continues to challenge us in all aspects of our daily life, even our eating.
Whether it's more trips to the biscuit tin or an extra helping of dessert, our habits have changed since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Many people are struggling with their mental health, with higher levels of anxiety around society. But what about those with eating disorders?
Beat - the UK's eating disorder charity - has seen an "alarming" 80% increase in social media contact, a 51% increase in online support group attendance, and a 30% rise in calls to its helpline since lockdown began.
According to Beat's figures, 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder, 25% of whom are men.
One who has felt the pressures of lockdown is former Great Britain hockey player Suzy Petty, who has had bulimia for 10 years.
"It's changed my life," says the 28-year-old. "Being stuck at home I find really tough. I love going outside, I'm sporty, I play hockey and I'm used to doing that.
"I was finding my walks were longer than usual, my runs were longer than usual. That's kind of related to having an eating disorder as well.
"In regard to my eating, I set myself some goals at the start of lockdown. I set myself like a three-week goal, a structure.
"I made sure I ate at the right times. I tried to not work near the fridge. But, as the weeks have kind of gone on, it's probably got worse."
Petty's problems with anorexia and bulimia started when she was in her late teens, after her grandfather died.
"I didn't really mourn," she says. "I just got on with my life. I went to the gym every single day. At lunch and after school. I think that was my way of coping.
"Being in the toilet and being sick has got to be the lowest point of being bulimic. Your eyes are watering. You are being sick in a friend's toilet, in a restaurant or in your own loo. That is fundamentally horrendous.
"Every time I do it, every single time I say: 'Suzy, you are not going to do this again. Think how awful this feels.'
"I've come out of that loo so many times crying my eyes out, hating myself. It's dreadful, but, sadly, that's an eating disorder and it's a habit."
Petty has played for England for a decade, winning a combined 49 caps for them and Great Britain. She won bronze at the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and has also featured in a home World Cup.
She says fitness tests, wearing a tight-fitting kit and playing on television were particular challenges, as was social media.
"I think the pressures of elite sport, the pressures on society as a whole, the pressure of looking good, the pressure of building up your identity on social media... can result in you trying to get control in something else and that potentially is with disordered eating," she says.
Petty is no longer part of the GB squad, having been dropped from the centralised programme in November 2019.
"I still don't really believe it," she says. "I can't believe it was over six months ago now either. My dream completely taken away. It's been really, really tough."
On Thursday, England Hockey acknowledged "shortcomings", apologised to Petty for the "impact this had upon her" and said it would undertake a review in partnership with the British Athletes' Commission (BAC).
The English Institute of Sport said it understood this was a "challenging time" for athletes and it put "huge focus on supporting them in all areas of their physical and mental health", including managing eating disorders.
Petty, who is now working as a clinic co-ordinator, is focusing on using her experience to help others who might be struggling.
She is doing that by working with the BAC across a range of sports, in public through her social media channels and - she hopes - by doing this interview.
"A thing that gives me real pleasure is trying to tell people my story," she says. "To try and help people. I don't know how that helps me, but it really does. It's kind of a purpose, I guess.
"This is a time where we all can reflect on stuff so much more.
"I'm starting to love my own company and I love being by myself. And that is such a positive for me, because I'm starting to love being me.
"We're in this whole world that is just such an unknown. And that's the worst thing for people with an eating disorder. We love control of the moment. We have no control.
"This isn't the time to start new trials. Stop trying to get better. It's just a time to get through, not make anything worse. Then, once lockdown has been lifted, that's the time to really go 'I've got this' and move on and hopefully start to get better."
BBC Sport
Hockey officials urged to donate for Blood Challenge
Hockey Australia is calling on all hockey umpires/officials to roll their sleeves up and get involved in the 2020 Umpires Blood Challenge.
A Hockey Australia Lifeblood Team has been established for the national challenge and initiative being run by Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.
The challenge, which started on 1 March and runs up until 30 September 2020, is designed to encourage members of different umpiring associations across the country to donate blood and see who can help save the most lives. Blood and plasma donations help Australians when they need it most.
CLICK HERE to get involved or see full details below.
Leading the charge from the hockey fraternity is highly experienced Technical Official Nicola Ogden.
Nicola Ogden at her local donor centre.Having held down numerous leadership positions at major international Masters events, Ogden is a regular blood donor whenever she is not overseas fulfilling her duties as a technical official.
The decision and reason to regularly donate blood or plasma was a simple one for Ogden, who feels fortunate to be in a position to contribute and give to the community and those in need.
“It (giving blood) is pretty easy. I know people who have had health issues and have needed blood products to help them heal. It takes just under an hour out of your day to do a plasma donation and even less for whole blood, so if it goes to help other people’s lives then I’m happy to do it,” said Ogden.
“When you realise you’re in a fortunate position that you can actually do something to help other people, you kind of feel morally obligated to give it a go.”
“In these uncertain times with COVID-19, the blood bank is one of the safest places you can go and do something that gives back to your community because they’re super diligent about cleanliness, hygiene and disinfecting.”
“The bottom line for me is that I’ve known a lot of people who have had various illnesses over time and if I can give an hour out of my day once a fortnight to give something back to help people have a better quality of life, then why not. It’s just a big positive.”
Whole blood donations can be done every three months but anyone donating plasma can give fortnightly.
Hockey Australia CEO Matt Favier is proud that the country’s national hockey body is able to support and promote the initiative.
“The importance and work of the Red Cross Blood Service and people who donate is vital at the best of times, but arguably even more so at the moment in the current climate,” said Favier.
“This is also another way we can unite as a wider hockey community at a stage when associations and local leagues around the country would normally be in full swing.”
“While this is a challenge targeted at officials and umpires, we urge everyone to consider donating and helping to make a positive difference for those who really need it.”
“If you have ever considered giving blood or wanted to contribute to a worthwhile cause, this is an opportune time.”
Details of how to sign up to the Hockey Australia Lifeblood team and take part in the challenge are as follows…
How to get involved and make your donation count
- Simply register or join the Lifeblood Team – Hockey Australia Official to ensure your donation is added to the tally. You can join online, by calling 1300 886 524 or in the donor centre when donating – just ask the centre reception staff to join you to the group.
- Make a donation. Download the app, visit the website or call 13 14 95 to book an appointment from 1 March – 30 September (you can donate more than once during this period).
This isn’t a solo event — it will take a team to win.
Even if you can’t donate, you can still help!
Simply spread the word and let the team know that every time they donate, they can save up to three lives.
Points of note
- This is a national challenge, so all officials across Australia can be involved.
- It does not matter which donor centre you donate at.
- You can donate as an individual or as a group.
- You will need to book an appointment to donate (call 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au).
You can see a tally of donations and track progress of the challenge by clicking here.
Hockey Australia media release
Wales’ Rhodri Furlong on challenges working on NHS frontline
By Richard Bright
Welsh hockey player Rhodri Furlong has spoken about the challenges working on the frontline during the pandemic.
Furlong is a vascular scientist but has been deployed at the NHS Nightingale at London’s ExCeL Centre where he has been working with patients on intensive care to make sure blood samples can be taken quickly.
He told Hockey Wales: “It has been very different to the conventional intensive care set up in that it wss previously a conference centre. There are excellent staff and on the whole it has been very positive.
“The biggest challenge has been working in the PPE with the face mask and visor and communication can be quite tough with it being pretty warm.
Hampstead & Westminster’s Furlong has kept fit with runs, cycles and body weight work outs from the Hockey Wales S&C staff.
He has yet to see the NHS clapping on Thursday nights as he is generally on shifts or at the hotel where he stays before work.
He added: “I never expected to get to where we are now. I didn’t think it would get this bad in the UK but we are handling it as well as could be expected.”
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The Hockey Paper
Hockey India online Special Congress to discuss future on May 13
Hockey India will hold an online Special Congress to discuss national teams' return to training and future of National Championships on May 13.
Hockey India will hold its Special Congress online on May 13 during which the status of Olympic preparations of both the national men’s and women’s teams, besides resumption of the sport after the COVID-19 pandemic will be up for discussion.
Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president and International Hockey Federation (FIH) chief Narinder Batra will be a special invitee during the Congress, stated a circular from HI.
The Congress, to be held online because of the pandemic, will also discuss the status of this year’s Hockey India National Championships.
Plans for conducting the state championships and the new domestic structure to come into force from next year will also be a part of the deliberations.
The meeting will also consider the feedback of the IOA survey on resumption of sport in the country amid the COVID-19 scenario.
The Congress will also consider and adopt HI CEO’s annual report and approve proposed amendments in the HI Constitution.
Officials did not divulge which constitutional changes would be considered during the meeting.
Sportstar